Pochettino: Young guns like Edwards to play in Tottenham clash against Liverpool

6th October, 2016, 1:56 PM

By Tony Hughes

Mauricio Pochettino has revealed he will keep faith with Tottenham’s young guns when for their League Cup showdown against Liverpool this month.

Spurs travel to Anfield for the fourth-round clash on 25 October 25 after demolishing Gillingham 5-0 in the last round with a team of rookies and fringe players.

Pochettino gave debuts to summer signing Georges-Kevin N’koudou as well as academy products Anton Walkes, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Marcus Edwards, while Harry Winks madehis first start.

Liverpool, who have named a strong XI in both of their EFL Cup ties so far, should pose a sterner test, but Pochettino has insisted he will keep faith with the youngsters.

Asked if the likes of 17-year-old wonderkid Edwards can expect to be involved at Anfield, Pochettino said, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo: “For me, they are not kids or boys — they are players. They can show and prove that they can compete and have the quality to stay in the first team.

“It is the same to play against Gillingham at White Hart Lane and against Liverpool at Anfield.

“They need to show. We believe in them and if my team is the same as against Gillingham or some changes, they need to prove they have quality.

“You know, always the big, big players start their career and they need to make their debut sometimes in a difficult place like Anfield.

“We are involved in Champions League and they [the younger players] are not involved in European competition so it is a good opportunity for our players who do not play too much or the younger players to build their reputation and build their career and confidence for the future.”

Spurs have Premier League games against West Brom and Bournemouth prior to their trip to Merseyside, with a Champions League game at Bayer Leverkusen sandwiched in between.

Liverpool take on Manchester United at Anfield on Monday week before travelling to West Brom the following weekend.